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Android 8
is a fictional character in the Dragon Ball franchise. A joint creation between Dr. Gero and Dr. Flappe, Android 8's model name derives from his identity as the eighth android project undergone by Gero, as 1 through 7 (as well as 9 through 21) were designed solely by Gero. Android 8 was designed to serve the Red Ribbon Army, but was seen as faulty because of his well-spirited nature. He bears heavy resemblance to Frankenstein's monster. Android 17 asserts during the Android Saga of Dragon Ball Z that Dr. Gero destroyed the first fifteen androids he designed, however this disturbs the canonicity of both the mainstream series (as Android 8 makes several cameo appearances throughout both Z'' and ''Dragon Ball GT) and Super Android 13!, which features androids 13, 14 and 15 as its lead villains and provides an original explanation that Dr. Gero was murdered by androids 17 and 18 prior to personally completing 13 through 15 (leaving an underground supercomputer to finish the models posthumously). Biography Android 8 is introduced by Ninja Murasaki, who intends to use him against Goku, however 8 refuses to battle the child. When Murasaki threatens to detonate 8 via remote control, Goku knocks the trigger out of his hand and knocks out Ninja Murasaki. Goku nicknames Android 8 "Eighter" (Hat-chan), and he becomes Goku's friend. When General White threatens the android with an ultimatum to either kill Goku or the village chief will be shot, Goku decides to stop the torment by turning his back so that White may shoot him unopposed. An enraged Android 8 punches White out Muscle Tower, killing him and causing the tower to be brought down. After eliminating the Red Ribbon Army contingent in Jingle Village, 8 reveals that he discovered the Dragon Ball that the army was looking for and hid it, knowing that they intended to kill the villagers once it was found. Hearing this, the head of the village invites 8 to live among them. ''The Path to Power'' In The Path to Power, the 10th anniversary retelling of the early Dragon Ball story, Android 8 is awakened by a fearful General White with the task of killing Goku. 8 takes hold of Goku and begins to strangle him, however he quickly becomes aware of the pain he is causing and spares Goku, refusing to comply with White's selfless demands. This prompts General White to produce a detonator, informs Android 8 that he must kill Goku, or the "fail-safe" bomb planted within him will be detonated. Android 8 declares that while he wishes to live, he will not take part in cruelty for the sake of his own will to live. Goku then jumps at General White, breaking the detonator. White escapes, and Android 8 and Goku leave the tower together. Afterwards, Goku and Android 8 play together in the snow outside the tower. Goku asks for the android's name, and his reply is that his only name is his prototype identifier, "Android 8". Goku then suggests the name "Eighter", and which 8 happily adopts. Goku then leaves with Bulma and Oolong, and Android 8 stays behind to destroy Muscle Tower and capture the members of the Red Ribbon Army. Later in the film, Goku is almost killed by Staff Officer Black who pilots a ginormous mech. As Goku lays unconscious, Android 8 puts all of his strength into holding the mech back, despite being ultimately overpowered and crushed beneath the weight of the machine. In a fortunate twist however the mech is partially damaged by this action. Upon waking up, Goku realizes he has lost his friend to Black and becomes enraged. He unleashes a Kamehameha wave, piercing the mech's weakened armor and destroying it. Bulma, who had been collecting Dragon Balls in order to summon Shenron to grant her wish of finding the 'perfect man' decides that she might have already found that man in Yamcha, and so Goku takes the opportunity to wish for Android 8 to be revived, in addition to being free of the bomb which was initially installed within him. Other appearances * Android 8 is seen again during the King Piccolo Saga of Dragon Ball, when he goes to rescue Suno after falling victim to King Piccolo's assault on Chow Castle, after which he attempts to restore order to the city. Android 8's appearance in "Lost and Found" was his last in the Dragon Ball anime. * Android 8 makes cameo appearances throughout Dragon Ball Z, the most prominent being during the Kid Buu Saga, when Goku is forming a Spirit Bomb and 8, along with his fellow villagers, supplies Goku with his energy to use against Kid Buu. The fact that he is alive at this time proves that artificial life can be revived by the Dragon Balls, as he appears to have been revived along with Earth's inhabitants after the planet's destruction by Buu. * Android 8 is also briefly seen in Dragon Ball GT, when Goku and the others are transporting Earthlings off of the planet before its destruction. Voice actors * Japanese dub: Shozo Iizuka * Funimation dub: Mike McFarland Category:Artificial humans